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Paradox Flaws
Paradox Flaws occur when a mage's accumulated Paradox bleeds off. It can be either voluntary or involuntary, and it's often the least painful way of dealing with the effect. These ripples manifest in odd occurrences that haunt the magician until reality has straightened itself out. The Flaw always reflects the type of magick that offended reality. Such Flaws are not harmless; they should hamper, possibly even cripple, the mage for a while. Minor Flaws should make a mystick uncomfortable, while major ones seriously impede his basic ability to function. The amount of Paradox released determines the severity of the Flaw. The Flaws below are suggestions only; this energy is unpredictable and will manifest in many different ways. With the GM's permission, a player may dictate the kinds of Flaws her character earns. ;1 Point Flaws: These short-lived minor Flaws range from watches spinning backward to minor power outages. Milk curdling, flowers wilting, or wisps of ectoplasm appearing are common manifestations. The GM might apply +1 difficulty to the character's rolls for a very short time. ;2 Point Flaws: Flaws of this nature are a little more potent and begin to warp the character and the world around her. Scars might re-open into wounds, glass might turn into sand or energies might flow backwards, causing short circuits or clogged pipes. If the Flaw interferes with the character's ability to function, the GM might increase her difficulties for a scene or two. ;3 Point Flaws: These Flaws often last for days and begin to severely impede the character and warp reality around her. Memories might become distorted, the magician's sense of timing might become altered, and her hearing and vision may fade in and out. At this level, Flaws become more than just uncomfortable, they could place a magician at a significant disadvantage. A mage might even take physical damage (1 or 2 health levels) from boils or sudden wounds. ;4 Point Flaws: The mage with this level of Paradox may find life quite hazardous for days on end. Four point Flaws can alter the physical make-up of her body - bones turn to wood, vision inverts or severely distorts (the world seems upside down or darker than midnight), basic body functions might cease, operate in reverse or work faster than is healthy. Significant damage (2 to 4 health levels) is possible, and the magician may find it difficult to function. ;5 Point Flaws: These major Paradox Flaws can drastically alter the character. They can change a character's Attributes dramatically for short periods of time (adding or subtracting three dots of Strength for a day, for instance) or alter them slightly but permanently (one dot of Strength gone forever!). The magician may find herself blinded for a significant amount of time or may be unable to control her nervous system. Weird distortions of the human anatomy can take place as well as distortions of the world around her (such as inanimate objects turning to glass when touched). At this level, the mage has trouble just getting out of bed. Category:Reference